IWPR Training Manual SP.Qxp

reporting for change: a handbook for local journalists in crisis areas institute for war & peace reporting reporting for change: a handbook for local journalists in crisis areas institute for war & peace reporting THE INSTITUTE FOR WAR &PEACE REPORTING supports local media in areas of crisis and conflict. Programmes include reporting, training and institutional capacity-building projects. IWPR is an international network of non-profit organisations. IWPR - Europe, 48 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8LT IWPR (US), 1616 H Street, Washington, DC 20006 IWPR - Africa, P.O. Box 3317, Johannesburg 2121 www.iwpr.net Editing and contributions: Colin Bickler, Anthony Borden, Yigal Chazan, Alan Davis, Stephen Jukes, John MacLeod, Andrew Stroehlein, Stacy Sullivan, John Vultee, John West. Layout and design: Kate Smith. Cover photo: Panos. Inside photos: IWPR. 2004 © Institute for War & Peace Reporting ISBN Number: 1-902811-09-7 IWPR gratefully acknowledges the UK Department for International Development and other donors for support for this publication and for the many training and other media development programmes through which it was developed, including: Canadian International Development Agency Community Fund/National Lottery European Commisssion - EuropeAid Cooperation Office Ford Foundation Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK McArthur Foundation Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway National Endowment for Democracy Open Society Institute The Sigrid Rausing Trust Swedish International Development Agency US Agency for International Development US State Department Dedicated to the thousands of local journalists around the world working in challenging and often dangerous situations to report freely from the frontlines of crisis and change Institute for War & Peace Reporting Contents Introduction 6 1. Why Be a Journalist? 10 2. International Standards 22 3. Story Structure 45 4. Sourcing 62 5. Interview Techniques 80 6. Use of Detail 92 7. Quotations 103 8. News Judgement and Story Types 115 9. House Styles 130 10. Introduction to Libel 137 11. Peace Reporting 166 12. Human Rights and Journalism 211 13. Economic Journalism 224 14. Journalism Safety 241 15. Reporting for IWPR 260 5 Introduction JOURNALISM HAS NEVER HAD A GOLDEN AGE, when the process of obtaining and transmitting the news was simple. And today is no exception. From the first “war correspondent” who covered the Crimea, through the Vietnam generation to today’s intractable conflicts in the Middle East, the journalist’s struggle to deliver the news has always had to battle official efforts at control, restriction and censorship. The journalist’s struggle to At the same time, journalists have increasingly become targets deliver the news has always for attack. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, had to battle official efforts 346 journalists were killed in the line of duty over the past decade. (Other journalist groups give even much higher figures.) at control, restriction and In conflict areas such as Iraq, where the death toll has spiralled, censorship journalists are directly exposed to the line of fire; under repressive regimes they suffer attack and imprisonment; even in stable, democratic societies, they have been murdered for doing their job and reporting on crime and corruption. And it is not just the increased physical threat that is taking its toll. In a globalised economy, when corporate multinationals are monopolising the media and, critics would argue, are “dumbing down” serious journalism, reporting budgets and foreign bureaux are being cut. International news is falling victim to insular and parochial perspectives. The focus is shifting away from serious issues of policy to personality journalism and headline grabbing trivia. 6 Institute for War & Peace Reporting But amid these disturbing trends, there is some encouraging news. Clear opportunities are emerging for local journalists. As some mainstream media organisations abandon serious international news, the opportunity for diverse local voices to make a difference at home and internationally is increasing. The shrinking world of instant communications is enabling local media to impact the international agenda as never before. At the same time, a growing movement of international media development organisations is working, with support from private funding and western governmental development agencies, to strengthen local media to help create the conditions for peace, development and democracy. The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) is one such organisation, now working in more than two dozen countries in Southeast Europe, Eurasia, the Middle East and Africa. Its task is to support training, reporting and the building of capacity in media institutions for local journalists. Our experience has underscored the enormous obstacles faced by local reporters. Often they experience direct repression, a chronic lack of resources and a dearth of professional support. But we have also seen the capacity of local media, when given the right assistance, to demonstrate extraordinary courage and achieve the highest international standards of accuracy, objectivity and impartiality. The many international journalism 7 Introduction Developing democracy awards won by IWPR recognise the accomplishments of local means an essential, and journalists working throughout our network. expanding, role for local The wider picture is also positive. According to the UN Development Programme, in the past two decades, “81 journalists the world over countries took significant steps towards democracy, and today 140 of the world’s nearly 200 countries hold multi-party elections - more than ever before.” Developing democracy means an essential, and expanding, role for local journalists the world over. This presents them with great potential and a huge responsibility. New communications technologies are also helping to level the playing field. It is now cheaper, easier and quicker to obtain and disseminate information than ever before. The once very separate and diverse areas of the media are converging, so that text, audio and video are all available online, all the time (depending, of course, on computer access and bandwidth). These developments are immensely empowering for journalists and populations at large. But new opportunities also highlight the need for increased training and responsible reporting. And that is exactly what this handbook is about - it is a practical, hands-on manual designed to help local journalists in societies undergoing major crisis and change. It outlines the core internationally recognised standards of journalism and provides essential guidance on many of the basic techniques of reporting. 8 Institute for War & Peace Reporting The handbook reviews reporting on general, political, economic For the first time in a and humanitarian issues. It provides guidance on safety and generation or more, local security and sensitive reporting in conflict areas, as well as libel issues. Developed as part of our practical training programmes, journalists have the chance it also reviews particular requirements for reporting for IWPR. to report freely on what is Each chapter provides exercises and discussion sections and happening in their own further references. The handbook is designed to be used in coordination with an international trainer or can be worked countries through on its own. The text is available in several languages (see www.iwpr.net for further details). Pagination between language editions is coordinated to assist multi-lingual training workshops. Journalism is about rights but also about responsibilities. In many societies, for the first time in a generation or more, local journalists have the chance to report freely on what is happening in their own country. How they establish professional standards and quality will not only set the scene for succeeding generations: it will put their leaders under the spotlight, assist their communities to reconcile their differences and lay the groundwork for stable and democratic development. This handbook seeks to support them in that essential task. Anthony Borden Executive Director 9 Chapter 1 Why Be a Journalist? IF YOU ARE USING THIS BOOK, it is a pretty certain bet that you are already a journalist or you have an interest in the profession. During IWPR training seminars, we have discussed with hundreds of people around the world why they became journalists. Everyone is different, of course, and there is no right or wrong answer. But certain themes occur again and again in these conversations. And certain common dilemmas are evident. American actor Sean Penn In this chapter, we describe some of the main reasons people visits an IWPR training become journalists and discuss some of the dangers and potential session in Baghdad pitfalls. In an exercise later you can analyse your own reasons. Serving Society Many people say they want to become journalists to serve society. Exposing injustice, holding politicians accountable to the public, helping the country in a time of crisis - good journalism does serve society in several ways. But so doother professions: doctors and teachers, for example, or politicians themselves (or so they say). The goal of serving society does not in itself explain why you might want to be a journalist. 10 Institute for War & Peace Reporting Telling ‘the Truth’ Does a journalist have the Aspiring journalists often

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